Median AQI
42
Good
South Dakota · County air quality · 2025
Meade County, South Dakota
Median AQI 42 (Good). 95.0% of monitored days rated Good, direct from EPA Air Quality System stations.
- 42
- Median AQI
- 95.0%
- Good-air days
- 0
- Unhealthy days
- 89%
- Cleaner than US counties
The verdict
According to EPA Air Quality System monitoring data, Meade County's air is good on balance, cleaner than most US counties, a median AQI of 42 with 95.0% of 181 monitored days in the Good band, driven mainly by Ozone.
- 42
- median AQI · Good
- 95.0%
- days rated Good
- Ozone
- main pollutant
- 89%
- cleaner than US counties
Not one day crossed into the Unhealthy tier; the worst single reading was AQI 71.
Data updated July 2026
- Good · 172 d · 95.0%
- Moderate · 9 d · 5.0%
How did Meade County's air break down in 2025?
Across 181 monitored days, 172 fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50) and 0 reached Unhealthy or worse. The worst single day peaked at AQI 71 (Moderate).
EPA AQS →Air quality data from EPA Air Quality System (2025). 181 days monitored. Median AQI: 42 (Good).
Insights: Meade County, South Dakota. EPA monitors recorded a median Air Quality Index of 42 across 181 measured days in 2025, earning a Good classification and a Excellent health grade. Of those days, 172 (95%) fell in the Good band (AQI 0–50), 9 (5%) registered Moderate readings, and 0 (0%) reached Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups. The 90th-percentile AQI settled at 49, while the worst single-day peak hit 71 (Moderate). Residents averaged about 28.5 clean-air days per 30-day window during the monitoring year.
The full pollutant mix ranks as Ozone (171 days), PM10 (10 days). Across the 2020–2025 trend window, good days shifted by -170 and the median AQI moved +4 points, placing the multi-year trajectory at stable. The worst single reading over the 2020–2025 window was AQI 71, moderate but never Unhealthy. Nearby counties show comparable readings: Brookings (53.0% good, AQI 48); Brown (87.1% good, AQI 25); Clay (82.6% good, AQI 37); Codington (82.1% good, AQI 33); Custer (72.4% good, AQI 46); Hughes (94.4% good, AQI 14).
Air Quality Summary
Good Days
95.0%
172 of 181 monitored days
20.0pp vs 75% target
Max AQI Recorded
71
Moderate
Health Grade
Excellent
90th-pct AQI 49
Meade County, Good days share 95.0%
National avg
Share of monitored days at AQI 0-50 (Good band).
Meade County, Unhealthy-or-worse share 0.0%
National avg
Share of monitored days above AQI 150 (Unhealthy or worse). Bar maxes at 10% (worst-county ceiling).
AQI Day Breakdown (2025)
Distribution of 181 monitored days across EPA AQI categories.
Good
172
95%
Moderate
9
5%
USG
0
0%
Unhealthy
0
0%
Very Unhealthy
0
0%
Hazardous
0
0%
Pollutant Breakdown
Days where each pollutant was the primary driver of AQI readings in Meade County.
- Ozone · 171 days · 94.5%
- PM10 · 10 days · 5.5%
Health Impact Assessment
Excellent
Meade County's air quality is rated Excellent based on 95.0% good air days. No unhealthy air days were recorded in 2025.
Air quality was acceptable on 95.0% of monitored days in 2025, with a median AQI of 42. Unusually sensitive people can check real-time conditions at AirNow.gov during high-pollution events.
The dominant pollutant is Ozone, driving AQI on 171 of 181 monitored days.
5-Year Air Quality Trend
Air quality is stable in Meade County. Best year: 2022 (347 good days).
| Year | Good | Moderate | USG | Unhealthy | Median AQI | Max AQI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 342 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 84 |
| 2021 | 308 | 50 | 7 | 0 | 38 | 115 |
| 2022 | 347 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 71 |
| 2023 | 322 | 40 | 1 | 0 | 43 | 101 |
| 2024 | 266 | 93 | 6 | 1 | 45 | 154 |
| 2025 | 172 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 71 |
How does Meade County compare?
How Meade County compares
Good-day share better than US avg
Meade County 95.0%
Brookings County, South Dakota 53.0%
US average 76.5%
Median AQI worse than US avg
Meade County 42
Brookings County, South Dakota 48
US average 38
Unhealthy days / yr about average
Meade County 0
Brookings County, South Dakota 1
US average 0
Other Counties in South Dakota
Air quality comparison for nearby counties in South Dakota.
Counties with Similar Air Quality
Counties across the US with a similar median AQI to Meade County.
Adams County, Pennsylvania
AQI 42 · 73.8% good
Anderson County, Tennessee
AQI 42 · 91.0% good
Andrew County, Missouri
AQI 42 · 84.3% good
Armstrong County, Pennsylvania
AQI 42 · 68.1% good
Baldwin County, Alabama
AQI 42 · 72.2% good
Belmont County, Ohio
AQI 42 · 63.0% good
What Meade County's air means for you
The air here stays in the breathable range year-round, with Ozone the main thing to watch.
- Sensitive groups (asthma, heart conditions, children, older adults) should check the AQI on high-Ozone days, the guide explains what a median of 42 means for exposure. Health guidance
- See how Meade County ranks against every monitored U.S. county on Good-day share. County rankings
- Compare Meade County with its South Dakota neighbours before drawing a conclusion about the region. All of South Dakota
Based on 181 EPA-monitored days in 2025; figures reflect only days the monitors reported. Source: EPA Air Quality System annual summaries.
More Air Quality Data
Air Quality Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the air quality in Meade County, South Dakota? ▼
Meade County has a median Air Quality Index (AQI) of 42, rated "Good." 95.0% of monitored days (172 out of 181) had good air quality in 2025.
What is the main pollutant in Meade County? ▼
The primary pollutant in Meade County is Ozone (O3), which was the main AQI driver on 171 days (94% of monitored days). Can trigger asthma, reduce lung function, and cause chest pain.
How many unhealthy air days does Meade County have? ▼
In 2025, Meade County recorded 0 unhealthy air days (0 Unhealthy, 0 Very Unhealthy, 0 Hazardous). The maximum AQI reached 71.
Is the air quality in Meade County getting better or worse? ▼
Air quality in Meade County is stable based on 5-year trends (2020-2025). Best year: 2022 with 347 good days. Worst year: 2025 with 172 good days.
What does AQI 42 mean for health? ▼
Meade County's median AQI of 42 falls in the "Good" category. See the <a href="/guides/understanding-aqi" class="underline">AQI category guide</a> for what each range means for health.
How does Meade County compare to other counties in South Dakota? ▼
Meade County has 95.0% good air days. Nearby counties in South Dakota: Brookings (53.0% good), Brown (87.1% good), Clay (82.6% good), Codington (82.1% good), Custer (72.4% good), Hughes (94.4% good).
What is the 90th percentile AQI in Meade County? ▼
The 90th percentile AQI for Meade County is 49, meaning 90% of monitored days had an AQI at or below this level. The maximum AQI recorded was 71 (Moderate).
Data Sources
Primary Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Air Quality System (AQS), Annual AQI by County dataset, 2020–2025 (aqs.epa.gov). For current conditions (not shown here — this page is historical annual data), see EPA AirNow (airnow.gov). See our methodology for how AQI, median, and coverage figures are computed.
Informational only, not professional advice. Data from EPA AQS. See our disclaimer.
Every figure on PlainAir is rendered directly from EPA AQS air-quality monitoring data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on EPA AQS air-quality monitoring data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.